


Promises and Left Behinds

by ScorpioInk



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Grief/Mourning, Grieving, Gun Violence, Major Character Injury, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-22 23:21:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30046368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScorpioInk/pseuds/ScorpioInk
Summary: Vik had known when Jackie died that it would change Night City, he knew that Heywood would certainly never be the same. V, though.It had been a surprise.Vik had a mission now. Jackie was gone, nothing was going to bring him back, but maybe, just maybe, he could save V.
Relationships: Female V/Viktor Vector, V/Viktor Vector
Comments: 52
Kudos: 80





	1. thought he lost everything  then he lost a whole lot more

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JustAnotherSnakeCult](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherSnakeCult/gifts).



> I'm not sure what I'm doing here - but it's the start of something. 
> 
> For Snake - who keeps me writing.

Vik wasn’t sure when he had first noticed the change in V. It had been small things at first; her normally colourful wardrobe darkened, her bright blue hair dyed black. Her smile had been the last thing to go, but it had been weeks and Vik almost couldn’t remember what it looked like.

It was reasonable, of course. Vik knew that. Losing a close friend was hard at the best of times, never mind when they died right beside you. Vik could still remember the sound of Mama Welles’ screams through the phone when the Delamain had arrived. It was the sort of scream that brought your skin up in goosebumps, it spoke of a loss that was going to leave a scar that would never be healed, by time or otherwise.

Vik had known when Jackie died that it would change Night City, he knew that Heywood would certainly never be the same. V, though. It had been a surprise.

Misty had said that V seemed listless after she had dropped her off at home, had spoken to her about Jackie. It wasn’t until the _ofrenda_ that Vik could really see how it was wearing on her. V sat in the corner of the room, drink in hand, mascara streaked down her face as Mama Welles tried to speak with her.

V had spoken with all of Jackie’s friends, retrieved the Arch, and ridden off into the night without so much as a backward glance.

“Keep an eye on her, Vik,” Mama had pleaded, “please.”

“I will,” Vik promised, “of course I will.”

He meant to, but V didn’t come around much anymore, and getting her on the phone had been almost impossible. After nearly a week of not seeing her, Vik decided he needed backup, and he spoke to Misty.

“I’m worried about V.”

“I am, too,” Misty agreed immediately, “it’s like a light went out in her soul when Jackie died. I knew they were close, but she’s taking this hard.”

“She hasn’t been answering the phone, think I could get you to call her to come over or something? I need to check on the chip.”

“Sure,” Misty pulled out her phone, “leave it with me.”

***

Vik had been swept up in the fight when V walked into the clinic, totally missing the creek of the door or the chattering of the gate as she pushed it open.

“You’re a determined man, Mr. Vector.”

Vik jumped, dropping the screwdriver that he had been spinning between his fingers, “shit, V, trying to give me a heart attack?”

“No,” V moved to stand over his shoulder, watching the fight with mild interest, “but you’ve called me like five times, and Misty called this morning to tell me that you were stressed I wasn’t answering. I wasn’t ignoring you, for the record. I’ve been working to pay off a certain Ripper.”

Vik flinched as the transfer came through, “keep it, V, you might need it.”

“Can’t take it with me,” V pat his shoulder, “Misty said you needed to check on the chip?”

“No, not really, I just figured it would get you into the clinic so I could see how you’re doing.”

“Here I am.”

“And how are you doing?”

“My best friend is dead, I’m dying, I have a terrorist living in my head who likes to have a running commentary on everything that I do. I’ll give you one guess how I’m doing.”

Vik turned on his stool to look at her. Overall, she didn’t look unhealthy. While her hair was now black instead of light blue it was shiny and smooth. Gone were the bright purple and gold clothes she normally wore, but the black jeans and t-shirt were fitted and clean. She didn’t look unwell.

She just didn’t look happy.

“What happened with Jack wasn’t your fault, V.”

“So who’s was it?”

That gave Vik pause, they were on dangerous grounds, “Dex, Arasaka, Evelyn, pick one.”

“The only person that was there when he got shot ten times in the gut was _me_ , Vik. Arasaka can hardly be blamed for protecting its assets. I should have said no to the job, pushed Jackie to reconsider, but he was so excited.”

“I know he was,” Vik tried for a sympathetic smile, “but he was a grown man, kiddo. If you had pulled out of the job he would have tried it alone, called in a Valentino friend. Jackie was going to do that job regardless.”

“We both know that’s not true,” V lit a cigarette, another new change, “when was the last time Jackie or I worked alone? When was the last time we took a job with someone other than each other? Not since I left Arasaka. I moved into his place and we’ve been partners since.”

V winced, took a deep inhale from the cigarette.

“We _were_ partners ever since.”

Vik sighed, she wasn’t wrong, and to argue as much would just frustrate her, “take a seat, I want to make sure you’re alright.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, _why?_ ” Vik guided V to the chair with his hand on her shoulder, “because I’m worried about you.”

V sat in the chair, putting the cigarette out in the ashtray Vik offered her.

“Let’s see what we’re working with,” Vik offered her the jack, “at least let me take care of this for you, okay? Jackie would have wanted you to be safe, taken care of, even if he wasn’t here.”

“I don’t know why,” V pulled the jack in, “I was the worst thing that ever happened to him, in the end.”

***

“Hey,” Vik’s patient spoke to him as he worked on fixing his optics, “have you ever heard of a merc named V?”

“I’m familiar,” Vik didn’t take his eyes off of what he was doing, “why?”

“She took out an entire Glitter production last week. Burnt the warehouse down to the ground.”

“Did she?” Vik tampered down the flare of concern, “I hadn’t heard.”

“Took out some loser fucking with the Mox last night,” the man continued, “I was hoping to hire her for a project, don’t know how to reach her.”

“Through a Fixer, probably,” Vik rolled back over to the patient chair, “she’s a freelancer, but she doesn’t give her number out to just anyone. It depends on the job.”

“Heard she hangs out at Afterlife, I might swing by there and see if I can find her.”

 _Afterlife,_ Vik turned the information in his mind, _in the big leagues._

“I wouldn’t corner V if I were you. She’s pretty tough. If she isn’t sure if you’re friend or foe she might zero you before you get the first word out.”

“What about you?”

“Hm?”

“Are you friend or foe?”

“I’m the sort of guy that follows one golden rule,” Vik set the optic back in place, “keep my fuckin’ mouth shut.”

“Solid reasoning.”

Vik looked up as he heard V’s voice, watching as she slid the grate open to walk into the clinic, “Hey, kiddo.”

“Vik,” V greeted before she turned to the patient, “you’re looking for me?”

“Wait, _you’re_ V?”

“That’s what the tattoo says,” V waved to the new tattoo across her neck, the dark ornate V, “what do you want?”

“I had a job…”

“I figured as much,” V rolled her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest, the leather of her jacket creaking as she did, “I get paid by the job, but if you keep dragging your feet I’m going to charge by the minute. What do you want?”

“I have someone I need taken out.”

“Fine, send the job to Regina, tell her you want me on it, and I’ll wait for the information. Do you need it done by a certain time?”

“Sooner the better.”

“End of the week okay?”

“Fine.”

“Consider it done,” V walked back to the door, picking up a small box and leaving it on Vik’s desk.

“What’s that?”

“I had to have a conversation with a Fixer today, it was a _brief_ conversation. He had some inventory I thought that you might be able to make use of.”

“You didn’t need to do that, V. Keep it.”

“I don’t have much to upgrade anymore,” V’s eyes lingered on the fight on the screen, “I’m using Mk. 4 in almost everything now.”

“What?” Vik glanced up at her, “since when?”

“Since I went solo.”

Vik winced, quickly finishing the job on the optic as V lingered in the clinic.

“All set.”

“Great, thanks, Vik. V, I’ll call Regina right now.”

“Sooner you call,” V answered absent-mindedly, “sooner I deal with your issue.”

Vik accepted the payment and showed the patient out, turning back to V with a concern.

“Can I check your new chrome?”

“Why?”

“Because _I_ didn’t do it,” Vik realized absently that he was jealous, “and I want to make sure it isn’t fucking with the chip.”

“Does it bother you?”

“What?”

“That I’m getting work done at other Rippers,” V never looked away from the screen.

“A little.”

“Why?”

“I don’t think they care about you like I do. I worry that they wouldn’t care if it went wrong. Jackie—”

“Is dead,” V spoke with finality, “he doesn’t have anything to worry about anymore.”

“V, please.”

“Alright,” V followed him over to the chair, waiting for him to wipe it down, “it’s nothing personal, Vik. You just don’t bring in all that much in the way of new inventory. With the amount of work I’ve been doing I need better kit, is all.”

“Seems like you’re making quite the name for yourself, he’s the third to ask me about you this week.”

“I trust your judgement, if you think I can trust them, you can give out my number.”

“Christ, V,” Vik pat the seat, “what if I got it wrong? If something happened to you? How would I live with myself?”

“You’d drink a lot,” V sat in the chair, accepting the jack from Vik, “have nightmares,”

“You’ve been having nightmares, V?”

“My life is a nightmare, Vik. The whole fuckin’ thing.”

***

“Everything looks fine,” it was painful for Vik to admit it, “what are you up to tonight?”

“No idea, why?”

“Come with me to the Coyote?”

V flinched, her heartrate spiking on the monitor, “no, thanks.”

“V,” Vik took her hand, squeezing gently, “I’m worried about you.”

“You don’t need to worry about me,” V’s voice dropped, “I’m fine.”

“Clearly not,” Vik gently pulled the jack from V’s port, “no one expects you to be okay, V. Losing Jackie was hard on all of us. Mama Welles is mourning, Misty, we understand how much it hurts.”

V’s face was a hardened calm, “I know.”

“Come on, V. Heywood misses you. Mama Welles misses you. You need to do something that isn’t killing people for a night. Please? It’ll be a favor to me.”

V’s eyes met his, studying him closely, Vik fought the wince as he realized just how sad her gold optics were. Vik hadn’t even known that emotion could be so clearly shown through Kiroshi’s, but there in their metallic depths read pure unfiltered heartbreak.

“Please,” Vik whispered, “just for tonight.”

V let out a slow breath, “okay.”

***

V had taken the Arch, Vik following behind her in his car as she weaved through the streets. It was hard to keep an eye on her, the dark leather jacket, black pants, she would flicker in and out of his view as she weaved through the cars. Flashes of the gold on the bike catching his attention as she moved. Each time they came up to a stoplight V would move her bike by his driver’s window.

“You drive like you have nothin’ to lose, V,” Vik called as they stopped at the light by the Coyote.

“I don’t,” V pulled her cigarettes from her pocket, “and you drive like a grandpa.”

“Was that a joke?” Vik was hopeful.

“No,” V glanced at him, “that was honest.”

 _Shit_ , Vik cringed, _she’s not happy_.

V parked beside him, tucking the bike out of view of most of the foot traffic by the bar. She leaned against the seat of the bike as she waited for him to get out, smoking with a pensive expression.

“Coming?”

“Does Mama know I’m here?”

“I didn’t call her if that’s what you’re asking. Why?”

“Can you warn her, please?”

“Why?”

“Because I had her son killed, and if she doesn’t want me here, I’ll go.”

“V, of course she wants you here. She’s called me almost every week since Jackie died asking if you were okay.”

“Please.”

“Fine,” Vik shut the car door, “I’ll be back in a second.”

Vik walked through the front door, waving to Pepe who shouted a greeting, “Mama around?”

“Mmhmm, upstairs, why?”

“V’s outside, not sure if she should come in or not, I need to ask Mama for her.”

“Stupid,” Pepe grumbled, “she’s family.”

“I know,” Vik took the stairs two at a time and found Mama Welles in a corner booth, sorting through various receipts, “hey.”

“Viktor,” Mama Welles greeted him with a smile, “what brings you here?”

“I brought V,” Vik sat across from her, “she’s a..shadow…of herself. She wanted me to check it was okay that she came in before she did. She’s outside smoking.”

“I’ll go speak with her,” Mama pushed the papers away, “poor girl.”

“She thinks she killed Jack,” Vik spoke as Mama Welles took a step away, “she might as well have pulled the trigger with the way she’s taking it. Be gentle with her, she doesn’t seem quite right.”

“I will,” Mama Welles promised, “go to the bar, get a drink.”

***

V walked into the bar with Mama Welles holding onto one of her arms. It looked physically painful for V to cross the threshold, but she did, letting Mama lead her to the bar.

“V,” Pepe greeted, “welcome home.”

“Hey, Pepe,” V didn’t even try for a welcoming smile, “how are you?”

“Always better for seeing you, _chica_. What are you drinking?”

“Whatever Vik is having is fine.”

“You look different,” Pepe studied her, “what happened to the peacock colours?”

V gave a dismissive shrug, “it was time for a change.”

“You look beautiful, _mija_.”

“Thank you,” V took the offered beer, “how’s business been?”

***

Vik had watched V nurse the same beer all night, her eyes diving from person to person in the bar. She was tense, uncomfortable, hypervigilant.

“What’s bugging you, kiddo?”

“I don’t know where to begin,” V answered, not looking at him, “you know I worked in Arasaka Counterintelligence?”

“Yeah.”

“I used to deal with undercover operations, reports and stuff.”

“Yeah…”

“There are people in this bar right now who don’t have good intentions,” V looked at him then, and he followed her eyes as they fell to five people who didn’t quite fit in, “I’m waiting for them to make a move.”

“What do you think they’re here for?”

“I don’t know,” V answered as she unzipped her jacket, two shoulder holsters strapped over a black t-shirt coming into view, “not aware of any jobs here, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one I haven’t heard of. Still…”

“Still?”

“I’m one of the best mercs in NC,” V took a deep breath, “the Fixers usually call me first. I have dinner with these people, Vik. Regina, Dino, the Padre, they’re the closest thing I have to co-workers. If there was something big going on here, Padre would have told me.”

“You’re ready for trouble?”

V almost smiled at that, almost, “always.”

***

Things had gone to shit as soon as V realized that the target was Mama Welles.

The men had stood when Mama came down the stairs, moving like a pack toward her as she turned to the bar. Pepe had noticed too, tensing and reaching under the bar for his gun. It turned out that he didn’t need to.

“Not another step,” V’s voice cut over the music, “you touch one hair on her head and you’re dead.”

Mama Welles froze, her eyes panicked as she realized they were there for _her_ , and closer to her than V was.

“Five of us, one of you,” the leader snarled, his jacket was new, as was his gun, clearly new on the scene, “what do you call that?”

“Hmm,” V took off her jacket, leaving in on the bar near Vik, unclipping her holsters as she moved, “I think if you bring two more friends, you might stand a chance.”

V moved into the middle of the bar, standing to face the group.

The leader studied her, “take her out.”

V smiled, and for a moment Vik was so relieved at the sight he let his guard down. It wasn’t V’s usual smile which was typically warm and bright. It was frightening, it was cold, too many teeth with no joy in her eyes. If he was watching the nature channels that Jackie was so fond of he would say it was a threat posture.

Turned out he was exactly right.

V waited into two of the goons reached for her before she pulled her guns from the holsters, using the momentum of the draw to hit them in the throat with the grips of the guns, shooting them both in the head as they choked for breath. The silenced handguns barely made any noise, and for a moment Vik wasn’t sure if the want-to-be leader realized they were dead.

Then they hit the ground.

“ _Go!”_

V ducked the next one that swung at her, dropping one gun, catching his arm, and pulling him off balance. She pressed the other gun to the back of his head, pulled the trigger.

Pepe fired at the leader as he took a step toward Mama, slowing his approach.

The other went for V with a blade, a sword from behind her back as she approached V.

V shot out her knees with surgical precision, ejecting the magazine from the gun and reloading before she took her out with another headshot.

“Uh oh,” V called to the leader who seemed to suddenly realize things had not gone as planned, backing up quickly as he tried to draw his gun.

V hunted him like a lion, slow and deliberate steps, a shot to his gut when he managed to pull his gun.

“Fuck,” the leader dropped to the floor, his hand over his stomach, “easy, easy, I’ll leave.”

“I don’t think so,” V’s voice was quiet, calm, “you see, Mama Welles, the Coyote? They’re under my protection. You came here and fucked with _my_ family. I’m not going to let you go _anywhere_.”

“You already won,” the man was pleading, “you wouldn’t shoot a man on the ground, would you?”

V didn’t flinch as she aimed the gun, looking the man in the eyes, “you know, I think I would.”

V pulled the trigger.

She stood over the body for a minute before she walked back to collect her other gun from the floor.

“Anyone who came with him, this is your chance to leave.”

Two others stood, heading toward the door at a quick-walk. V waited until their hands touched the first set of doors before she shot them in the back. 

The entire thing had taken maybe a minute, and V had killed seven people without breaking a sweat. V scanned the bar, the patrons who had frozen in place or hidden under their tables. The Valentino’s who knew better than to involve themselves in someone else’s mess.

When she was satisfied the risk was gone, she holstered the guns and walked over to Mama Welles, stepping over a body as she went.

“You okay?”

“ _Mija_ ,” Mama Welles breathed.

“I know,” V didn’t reach for her, keeping her hands loose at her side, “are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Good,” V walked over to the bar, gathering her coat from beside Vik and pulling it on before she tapped the bar to order a shot from Pepe.

“Christ, V,” Pepe poured the drink, surveying the bodies.

“I know,” V said again, downing the shot in one go. V’s eyes lit up a bright blue as she dialed out, “Padre? V. You know of a contract on the Coyote?”

V ordered another shot as she listed to him speak.

“They weren’t any good, seven, maybe. Dead now, I took care of it. I have two jobs for you, yeah,” V took the shot, “clean up, Coyote, priority to whoever can get here fast enough and do a decent job.”

Vik watched her discuss the night like she was talking about the weather, it was unsettling.

“Second, security. Coyote. I want a guard on Mama.”

Mama Welles shot Vik a concerned expression, he nodded in agreement.

“Thanks, Padre. Yeah, dinner tomorrow sounds great.” V hung up, looking between Vik, Pepe, and Mama Wells, “clean up is coming, security too.”

“Shit, V,” Vik looked over the bar, the devastation, the death, “that was nothin’ more than a business transaction to you? You just killed seven people. What happened to your humanity?”

V looked at him, her golden eyes piercing his, “I just killed seven people who were going to hurt Mama Welles. Mama Welles who I promised Jackie that I would take care of. As for my humanity, you’d have to ask Jack, he took it with him when he died.”


	2. Chapter 2

“When was the last time you saw her smile?”

Mama Welles poured Vik a shot, watching V out of the corner of her eye as she walked around the bar with the Padre. V was pointing out various features on the dead bodies like she was discussing gardening.

“Two weeks, five days,” Mama Welles answered.

“You know down to the day?”

Her eyes drifted to the shrine in the corner of the bar, the corner of her mouth twitching down, “yes, Viktor. I know down to the day.”

“Shit,” Vik took the shot with a grimace, “what do we do?”

“Do?” Mama Welles looked at Vik quizzically, “how do you control the tide? How do you change the seasons? Viktor, she is _mourning_. Jackie and V, they were two sides of the same coin. How are you to tell someone that their loss has bothered them for too long when you buried half of their heart in the ground?”

“I’m worried about her.”

“So worry,” Mama Welles poured him another shot, “worry, and care, and be there when she needs it. What you can’t do is tell her that her heartbreak is too much for _you_ to bear.”

“She’s different now,” Vik watched as V picked up a gun, checking the clip and pocketing it, “her light has…gone out.”

“Jackie was the light for many of us in Heywood, a beacon of hope,” Mama Welles sighed, “V will find her way, Viktor. Give her time.”

“Clean up should be done within the hour,” V walked over to the bar leaning against it with her hip, “I’m sorry, for the mess.”

“Seven men, two minutes,” Mama Welles spoke softly, “Jackie would have been impressed.”

“Yeah, well,” V scratched at the bar with her nail, “he asked me to promise him if he was ever gone and I was still here that I would take care of you.”

“He did?”

V took in a deep shuddering breath, “Mama, there was no one in the world Jackie loved more than you. No one. He was the only gang kid in all of Heywood that would stop a job to answer a phone call from his mother. The day I moved out of your house he asked me to make him that promise. This is all I can do for him now.”

“My boy,” Mama’s eyes welled, “I miss him.”

“Me too,” V stood, “I should go.”

“Let me walk you to the bike,” Vik stood with her, “just in case there are more outside.”

“Vik,” V looked at him with a schooled cool expression, “do you think I couldn’t take them?”

“Please, let me do this. You promised Jackie you would take care of Mama Welles, but _I_ promised him I would take care of _you_.”

That pulled V up short, her mouth falling open in surprise, “he did?”

“He did,” Vik reached for her and she took a step back out of his reach, “come on, V.”

V nodded, gesturing for Vik to walk with her, “goodnight, Mama. Any issues, you call me direct, okay? Don’t bother the Padre, I’ll stop what I’m doing and come.”

“I will,” Mama Welles smiled warmly at her, “I love you, _mija._ ”

“Yeah,” V looked to the ground, “but you shouldn’t.”

***

“What’s her favorite candy?”

“Who, V?”

“Yeah,” Vik sat by the counter in Misty’s shop, “or…drink…or food. I don’t know, Mist, give me something.”

Misty shuffled the deck of cards in her hands looking up at him with quizzical eyes, “why does this bother you so much, Vik?”

“She’s our friend, isn’t she?”

Misty gave him a probing look, pulling one of the cards from the deck, “five of cups.”

“Which means…what?”

“Look,” Misty turned the card so Vik could look at it, “a cloaked man with five cups around him, three of them spilled, two still full.”

“So?”

“So,” Misty explained, “the cloaked man is V, focused on the spilled cups in front of her, the failures. There are two cups behind her, both filled, opportunities that she can’t see because of her focus on the wrongs. V is wrapped up in the guilt she feels over Jackie, the biochip. There could be a million things going right for her, and she wouldn’t see it.”

“So what do I do?”

“See the river? The bridge?” Misty pointed out the background to the card.

“Yeah.”

“You could help her, if she can just get past the cups and to the bridge….”

“What, build a bridge and get over it?”

“More like guide someone to a path and hope that they will take it.”

“You want me to do what?”

“Show her that there is another way, convince her that she doesn’t need to spend her time focusing on the worst things in her life. She’ll make it through, eventually. My question is why have you taken this on as _your_ mission?”

“She’s a nice kid, she doesn’t deserve to punish herself for something that she didn’t do.”

“Mmhmm,” Misty pulled two more cards, “ace of cups, two of cups. Interesting.”

“What?”

“How long have you been in love with her, Vik?” Misty glanced up from the cards, pointing to the ace of cups, “you’re literally overflowing with it.”

“I’m not,” Vik stood, “I’m her friend.”

“Not so fast,” Misty pointed to the other card, “it’s mutual.”

Vik stopped short, “what?”

“Two of cups, mutual attraction, why do you think they’re sharing the drink?”

“Come on, Mist, you know I don’t believe in this stuff.”

“Don’t you?” Misty smiled, “then why did you sit at the reading counter instead of the chair?”

“I’ve got to go.”

***

“Come on, V,” Vik sighed as the phone cut out, “answer the fuckin’ call.”

“In person visit okay?”

Vik swore, spinning on his heel to face the voice, “why do you keep sneaking up on me, V?”

“Maybe I like the way you jump?” V’s face was cool, but Vik thought that maybe he saw the hint of a smile behind her eyes, “fast reflexes, for a retired boxer.”

“Calling me old, V?”

“Maybe. What did you need? I have three missed calls from you.”

“I just wanted to see you,” Vik answered honestly, walking over to look at her closer, ensure she was right, “check in. Are you doin’ okay?”

“Do you really want me to answer that, or do you want me to say I’m fine so you can placate your nerves?”

“V, come on.”

“I’m fine,” V shifted back, just slightly, out of his reach.

“When did you eat last?”

“Yesterday, with Takemura.”

“The Arasaka guy who brought you in?”

“Yeah, he’s become an…unexpected ally.”

“Just an ally?”

“Why?” V’s golden eyes were studying his face and Vik looked away.

“Curious.”

V’s tiny hand reached for him, touching just above his glove, Vik watched it as her fingers made gentle contact, “just an ally.”

Vik’s eyes shot to her face and for a fleeting moment, he thought he could see the _old V_ in her eyes. A warmth, compassion, that V hadn’t shown since Jackie left. Vik found himself unable to look away, scared that if his eyes left hers that the shields would come back again.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Vik let his hand cover hers, pressing her palm against his needle-tracked skin, “will you let me take you out for dinner?”

“Why?”

“Why do you keep asking me why, V? You’re my friend, I care about you.”

“Just a friend?”

Vik reeled, “why?”

“Curious.”

Vik snorted, “you don’t get to use my words against me, kiddo. I’m too old for that shit.”

“Yes, you can take me to dinner.”

“Great, let me take the glove off and we’ll go.”

***

“I’m sorry, we don’t have any tables available.”

Vik sighed, “where did you want to try instead, kiddo?”

“Hang on,” V’s hand found his shoulders as she looked around his larger form, “excuse me?”

“Oh,” the young man working the counter eye’s widened, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were with V, right this way.”

“What the fuck was that?” Vik asked as he sat at the table.

“What?”

“He let us in when he saw _you_?”

“Well yeah, I broke up a robbery here last week,” V leaned back in her chair, looking around the small restaurant, “that guy was on the floor with a gun to his head when I walked in.”

“Shit, V, you need to be careful.”

“Why?”

“You could get shot,” Vik arched his eyebrow at her, “hurt, _killed_.”

“Vik,” V leaned forward across the table and Vik tried to ignore how beautiful she looked in the synthetic candlelight, “I’m dying, anyway.”

“You don’t need to rush the point,” Vik leaned forward to meet her, taking one of her hands in his, “please, be careful, for me?”

“I’ll try,” V didn’t pull her hand away, but there was still no smile.

Still, Vik let himself be grateful for small miracles.

***

V didn’t offer much in the way of conversation but would answer whatever questions Vik asked her.

“You still staying in your place in Watson?”

“Mmhmm,” V took a sip of her wine, “lease isn’t up for another four months.”

“Planning on moving after?”

“Maybe. I’ve thought about leaving the city, fresh start somewhere else.”

“Where would you go?”

“I have no idea,” V shrugged, “just somewhere not here.”

“For the record,” Vik sighed, “I hope you don’t.”

“Why?”

“I would miss you,” Vik looked at V over his glasses, “I like having you around.”

“What are you doing, Vik?” V spoke softly, “I’ve known you for what, years? Why the sudden need for charity? Why the sudden interest in me?”

“I’m worried about you, V. Worried about how you’re taking this whole thing with Jack, worried about the chip,” Vik reached across the table and she let him take her hand, “you haven’t been the same since Jack died, and I get it. Still, I’ve spent more than one night awake worried about where you are.”

“I never checked in with you when Jackie was around…”

“No, but you checked in with Jack, and Jack used to check in with me. Two birds, one stone.”

“What, really? Jackie would message you each night?”

“Yeah, for years. I still have the messages.”

“Can I see them?”

“Sure,” Vik pulled his phone from his pocket, opening the messages and handing it to her.

V’s expression was unreadable at first, cold eyes as she scrolled through. It took a second for Vik to realize that there were tears running down her face as she looked back.

“Oh, Jackie,” V whispered, “you lovable idiot.”

“He loved you like a sister, V.”

“He didn’t love me half as much as I loved him.”

***

“You didn’t need to walk me home, Vik,” V protested, but she squeezed his arm where her had tucked her hand in his elbow.

“But now I know you’re home safe, so this old man can sleep,” Vik stopped them just outside her apartment door, “and when you get to my age, sleep is important.”

V turned to face him, a small but _real_ smile on her face, “thank you for dinner.”

“Damn.”

“What?”

“I forgot just how much I liked your smile,” Vik flushed as he felt the words leave his lips, “sorry, I don’t mean to make things weird. It’s just been an awful long time since you smiled about anything. I’m glad the first one I’ve seen in weeks was directed at me.”

Just as soon as Vik commented on it, it faded. V shifted, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek.

“Thanks for caring, Vik. I’m glad you’re there for me, even if I don’t deserve it.”

“You do deserve it,” Vik pulled her in for a hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, “I know you don’t believe me, V, but I promise that what happened with Jack wasn’t your fault. You aren’t less of a person because of it.”

V stood rigid for one breath, two, before her hands cautiously wrapped around his waist. She moved like he might push her away, so Vik held her tighter until she dropped her head to his chest and closed her eyes.

“Come on, kid, you know I love you like family. You don’t need to hide from me.”

“Last hug I had was Jackie,” V whispered against his chest, “I needed this.”

“Any time you want, just drop by.”

“Vik’s clinic, best hugs in Night City.”

“Just for you, but sure,” Vik pulled away as she did, “have a good night, V.”

“Night, Vik.”

***

Vik climbed into bed with a groan, tossing his glasses onto the bedside table. He was just about asleep when his phone chimed.

_Hey, just wanted to let you know that I’m home safe – V_

Vik smiled, re-reading the message before he answered.

_Me too – Vik_

_I had a date tonight, I think you would like him - V_

Vik sat up in the bed, V seemed to be in a playful mood, and he was going to keep it going for as long as he could.

_Tell me about him – Vik_

_Older, smart, kind. He’s forgiving to a fault, and cares about me when he shouldn’t. I’ve known him for a few years, this is the first time we’ve gone out together – V_

_And? Think you’ll do it again? – Vik_

_Yeah, if he’ll have me I think I’d like to do it again. Goodnight – V_

_Night – Vik_

Vik waited for a minute to pass before he messaged her again.

_Hey, V? – Vik_

_Yeah? – V_

_Can I take you out on another date? – Vik_

_I’d like that – V_

_Great, I’ll message you tomorrow and we can figure it out? – Vik_

_Sounds great – V_

Vik set his phone down with a smile, settling back under his sheets.

Misty might be onto something with those cards after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to tie in a prompt from Lizzies, "feel how much I want you."
> 
> Wanted to see if I could do it a little differently. 
> 
> Thank you for all the kind comments- more angst to come.

It had become tradition, a small sliver of evidence that V, at least the V that he knew, wasn’t gone yet.

_Home safe – V_

_Glad to hear it – Vik_

Vik walked through his apartment looking out the window over the streets of Night City, up to the sky that had too much light pollution to show stars. If there was a heaven up there, Vik wondering if the city was too polluted for anyone to look down on it.

“I’m tryin’, Jack.”

_Dinner tomorrow? – Vik_

_I’d like that, where? – V_

_You pick – Vik_

Vik waited for the response, scratching his chest absentmindedly as he looked out the window. Things had gotten so confusing, his world flipped on his head.

V, one of the most extroverted people he knew was closing in. He was being forced to reach out to compensate, and Jackie, the beautiful man who sat somewhere in between those two worlds was gone.

No matter which way he looked at it, Jackie was the missing piece to the puzzle.

_I don’t care, Vik. We could have pizza at your place and I’d be happy – V_

_My place is a mess – Vik_

_I’m a mess. I’ll fit right in – V_

***

“I have a job,” V’s voice carried over the holo, “mind if I push our date back an hour?”

“A job?”

“You don’t want more detail than that, Vik,” V’s voice was cold, cut off. It felt like a step back to hear it.

“V, come on, we have a date.”

“I’ll be there, I promise. I’m going to be down by the Coyote, want to meet for drinks first?”

“ _V_.”

“I need to work, Vik,” V sighed, “do you have any idea how expensive it is to bribe the people I need to, pay the people I need to, to figure out this damn chip?”

“Coyote, 7 pm, if you’re not there I’m coming looking.”

“Deal.”

***

There had been no parking outside of the Coyote, so Vik pulled around back by Jackie’s garage. It was dark, almost too dark for him to see the way that V was lurking around in the shadows.

Almost.

Vik wasn’t sure what the man had done, or why V had been tasked with killing him, but she moved as fast as a viper striking at a mouse.

Vik jumped back as V buried the knife into the chest of the man just as he stepped out for a cigarette. It was a strangely hollow sound, followed by the sound of the last breaths coming from his mouth in a wet garbled gasp.

V pressed him against the wall, one hand on the hilt of the blade, the other cupping his jaw. V’s golden eyes locked with his as the man slowly slipped to the ground, his eyes falling shut.

“Why do you do that?” Vik lit a cigarette, a rare thing, but after what he had just witnessed he needed something to settle his nerves.

“What?”

“Why do you always look them in the eye as you kill them?”

V laughed, but it held no humour, “do you believe in an afterlife, Vik?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“Me either,” V wiped the blood from the knife before she stuck it back in her boot, “still, I watch them go, just in case one day I see Jackie looking back as the light flickers out.”

“Christ, V.”

“I know,” V turned to face him, “you shouldn’t smoke, it’s bad for you.”

“You smoke.”

“I’m a bad person,” V pulled a pack from inside her jacket, her face briefly illuminated by the lighter, “I do bad things. Smoking is just one of them.”

“That’s not true.”

“Which part?”

“All of it.”

“Tell him that,” V nodded to the man on the ground, “drinks?”

Vik looked at V, studied her face and the forced calm on her features.

“Drinks.”

***

The Padre greeted them as they walked into the bar, a handshake and a transfer for V with a sagely nod, “another ready for judgement.”

“Aren’t we all,” V patted Padre’s shoulder, “let me know if you have anything else for me.”

“I always do. Viktor.”

“Padre,” Vik stood just behind V, close enough he could feel the heat pouring from her.

“Enjoy your evening,” Padre excused himself.

“Booth or at the bar?”

“Booth,” Vik followed her up the stairs and to the corner booth, the one that had always been hers and Jackie’s.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Vik pulled off her jacket, setting it beside her, “I try not to involve my friends in my work.”

“It’s alright, just a little shocking is all.”

“Why is it shocking?”

“You’re so…efficient...”

V snorted, “I was Arasaka Counterintelligence. I killed dozens of people before I even hit the streets with Jackie. Only difference was I wore a suit.”

“Does it ever bother you?”

“What, killing people?” V studied him from across the table, “let me ask you this, while you were boxing there was a risk of you killing your opponents, did that ever bother you?”

“I don’t know,” Vik shifted in his seat, “I never thought about it.”

“The only certain thing about life is death, Vik. At least for people like you and me. We’ll never have the money to get spun up in one of the relics so we know that our time is shorter than that of the rich. It used to be the one great equalizer, rich or poor it took us all.”

“What is it now?”

“Peace,” V answered, her gaze never wavering, “it’s peace. That’s why I don’t torture the people I kill, that’s why I don’t deal with kidnappings. I come, I kill, I go.”

“You think of it as a mercy?”

“It _is_ a mercy,” V leaned forward, her eyes intent, “only the people left behind suffer, Vik. That man in the alley, the one with the knife in his chest? He isn’t worried about anything right now. The bills, Arasaka, his wife, his kids if he had any, nothing. For once, probably in his entire miserable life in this fuckin’ city, he’s at peace.”

_How the mighty have fallen._

Vik offered her his hand and after a moment of consideration she accepted it, “I know you don’t think so, not right now at least, but life can be peaceful too.”

“How do you figure?”

“I don’t know,” Vik looked around the bar, the people, back to V, “something peaceful about going on a date with a pretty lady.”

There was a hint of a smile on V’s face, and Vik counted it as a win.

“You’re pretty smooth, Mr. Vector.”

“I’m trying my best.”

***

“Want to ride with me?”

“Sure,” V walked with Vik back to his car, the body now gone as they walked through the alley.

“I tried to tidy up, but my place is nothin’ special.”

“No, but it’s yours, so it’s safe.”

“Yours isn’t?”

“Depends on the day,” V got into his car looked around at the mess he had shoved into his back seat in anticipation of the date.

“Yeah, I know,” Vik turned the car on, “I had time to clean the apartment or the car, not both.”

“I wasn’t saying anything,” V held up her hands defensively, “just looking.”

Vik pulled into traffic, taking V’s hand and resting it over the shifter as he drove. V was quiet as they made their way back toward Watson.

“Why now?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you interested now?” V asked, her eyes trained out the car window, “we’ve been circling each other for the better part of a year. Why are you asking me on dates now? I feel like a charity case.”

“Not a charity case, not at all,” Vik squeezed her fingers, “I like you, V. Have for a long time. It hurts to see you all torn up like this but that’s not why I asked you out to dinner.”

“What brought it all on? Your sudden motivation to act on the feelings that you’ve tried so terribly hard to hide?”

“Guess they weren’t all that hidden if you knew about them.”

“I know a lot of Rippers, Vik. You’re the only one that let me carry a tab.”

“I realized with the chip, everything that was going on…I might be running out of time. Shit or get off the pot, right?”

“Promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

***

“You don’t need to check for the exits,” Vik joked as he hit the button in the elevator for his floor, “I’m not planning on keeping you prisoner.”

“I have a knife in my boot and two guns,” V crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall, “even if I didn’t have those, I could probably kill you with that necklace you wear. I’m not all that scared of you, Vik, and Arasaka have some impressive training programs. I’m good at hand to hand. I just like to know my surroundings.”

Vik hesitated, “it was a joke, V.”

“I know,” V rolled her eyes, “I was just being honest.”

Vik led her down the hall to his door, opening it and letting her step inside.

“Well, shit.”

“What?” Vik turned on the lights and followed behind her.

“I don’t know why it surprises me,” V turned in a small circle, “because they’re both Megabuildings…”

“Exactly the same as yours?”

“Yep, fuckin’ clone.”

“Then I won’t give you the tour,” Vik kicked off his shoes, “what do you want on your pizza?”

“Don’t care,” V pulled the knife from her boot, setting it on his desk before she slipped off her boots and followed him inside, “I have a gun room, what do you have?”

“Old boxing stuff. Go look if you want.”

V arched her eyebrow and walked over to the door, opening it with a whirr and slipping inside. Vik gave her a few minutes to explore, ordering their pizza before he joined her.

He wasn’t at all surprised by which picture she was standing in front of.

“Is that Jack?”

“Mmhmm,” Vik stood beside her, “just after his first fight.”

“God,” V reached for the picture, tracing the line of his jaw, “he looks like a baby.”

“He was a baby; I think he was like eighteen there?”

“I miss him,” V whispered, “so much sometimes I can’t even breathe when I remember that he’s gone.”

“I know,” Vik reached for her, rubbing her shoulder gently, “he loved you a whole bunch, V. He wouldn’t want you spending this much time thinkin’ about him.”

“Please,” V laughed, “Jack? He would love the fact that I was still talking about him.”

“Okay, maybe,” Vik conceded, “but not sad things. Come on, take off your jacket, stay awhile.”

V followed Vik back into the living room, undoing her jacket and setting it over the back of his couch. V pulled her guns from the holsters next, unloading them and setting them next to the jacket before she set the holsters on top.

“Why did you unload them?”

“Because if we sit together on the couch and they’re facing us, you’re at the business end of a loaded gun. If they face the vending machine, you need to walk past them before you take a leak. If they face the door, you’ll walk by them when you go to get the pizza.”

“Why not just face them against that wall?”

“No more loaded guns pointing at Jack.”

***

V was leaning against the back of the couch smiling at him. It wasn’t a _real_ smile, not really, but it was closer.

“Thanks for having me over, Vik.”

“It was my pleasure,” Vik linked their fingers together, “if I had known you would say yes, I would have asked you out months ago.”

“I wish you had.”

“Me too,” Vik admired her openly, her dark hair, her golden eyes, the ornate tattoo across her neck accenting her pale skin, “you’re so beautiful.”

“You think so?”

“Always have.”

Vik wasn’t sure who moved first, all he knew was V’s lips tasted like cherry and they were _impossibly_ soft. He reached for her, his fingers in her hair as she shifted just slightly and licked at his bottom lip.

She moaned against his lips as he let their tongues meet, a gentle brush together. Vik groaned as she pulled back just enough to nip at his bottom lip.

 _Stop_ , Vik’s common sense kicked in, _she’s hurt and she’s reeling. Stop._

“V, wait,” Vik forced himself back and immediately mourned the loss of her lips, “wait.”

V pulled away like he had burned her, “I knew it.”

Vik caught her wrist before she stood, “I just want to take things slow, do it right.”

“I’m a charity case,” V hissed at him, “I knew I was and I was stupid enough to let myself believe that you wanted me.”

 _Shit_.

“I _do_.”

“Yeah, okay,” V tried to pull away, twisting her arm in his grip.

Vik tugged her closer, pulling her toward him and kissing her again, moving the hand in his grip to where his cock was aching against his pants.

“Can’t you feel how much I want you?” Vik whispered against her lips, “V, you’ve got to believe me.”

Vik gasped as V started to rub him through his pants, teasing the head of his cock with her thumb through the denim.

“Damn, Vik,” V whispered against his ear, his skin coming up in goosebumps, “why say no?”

“Old fashioned,” Vik forced her hand away, “third date, not second.”

V studied his face for any signs of deceit, “kissing is fine?”

“Kissing is fine.”

“Good,” V pushed his arms out of the way, straddling him on the couch, “let’s do more of that.”

“Sounds good, sweetheart.”

***

Vik was fairly certain that dropping V off at her apartment that night was the most painful thing he had ever done. As she smiled up at him with kiss-swollen lips and a twinkle in her eye that had arrived when she found out he had a sensitive neck, his whole body begged him to stay.

“Sure I can’t convince you to come in?”

“I’m sure if I stay around any longer you will,” Vik kissed her again, “let me try and be a gentleman, okay?”

“When’s our next date?”

“When do you want to go out?”

“If it means I get to ride what I know you have hidden in those jeans? Tomorrow.”

Vik chuckled, “I can do tomorrow.”

“Message me, let me know where to meet you.”

“I will,” Vik promised, stealing one last kiss from her, “night, V.”

“Nighty night, Vik.”

***

Vik sighed as he sat in his car, his cock aching, his back sore from kissing on the couch for hours.

He couldn’t remember being this happy in years.

_Home safe – V_

Vik smiled as the message came through.

_Just about to start driving, I’ll let you know when I’m home – Vik_

_Can’t wait – V_

Vik forced his body to calm down during the drive. He wasn’t a teenage boy, and he refused to let his baser instincts take control of his rational mind.

V still wasn’t sold that he was interested, he needed to approach the situation carefully. In the best-case scenario, she believed him, and this was the start of something new and beautiful.

Worst case scenario and he turned into a new unhealthy coping mechanism.

Vik drove home on autopilot, his train of thought about how to approach the situation with V consistently de-railed by the memories of how she moaned when he sucked a mark into that tattoo on her neck.

_Home safe – Vik_

_Glad to hear it, here, for inspiration – V_

“Inspiration?” Vik questioned as he looked at his phone.

The picture appeared on screen and Vik swore under his breath. V, topless with her arm holding her breasts together. His love mark center stage, a small smile on her lips. He couldn’t even _see_ anything, not really, but the curve of her lips had him rushing to pull his cock free from his pants.

Vik studied the picture as he stroked himself, the curve of her breasts, the tattoo over her neck, the mark he had left behind. Still, his eyes always returned to her lips, that small but honest smile.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Vik groaned as he spilled, his breath falling from his lips in short pants.

_No answer, fifteen minutes, enjoying yourself? – V_

_You have no idea what I’d do for that smile – Vik_

_Out of everything on display in that picture, you notice the smile? – V_

_You bet, sweetheart – Vik_

Another picture came through, V in her bed, her hair fanned around her like a dark backsplash, her normal makeup gone.

Most importantly though, a bright _real_ smile looking back at him.

Vik set the picture as his phone background before he went to the bathroom to clean up and brush his teeth. When he got into bed, he sent one more message.

_You look like an angel, V – Vik_

_A devil, maybe, but hopefully you’ll have me regardless – V_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Ziggy - ever my supporter, newly my friend.

V hadn’t messaged, hadn’t called, nothing. She was meant to meet him outside his clinic that night, they were going to go to her place, pick up some takeout, watch a movie.

Vik had waited, for nearly an hour in fact, before he walked back into the clinic and tried to call her.

She didn’t pick up.

Vik turned on the fight, leaning against the counter as he watched and wondered what had happened to her. What his next steps would be to find where she had gone. He wondered if he still had the Padre’s number in his phone.

There was a bang at his door. Just one, but it was solid and hard enough that the echo rocketed down the stairs and made him jump.

Vik waited, holding his breath and glancing up at the door expectantly.

There was another bang, softer, someone running out of strength.

Vik took off, shoving the gate out of the way as he took the stairs two at a time. Vik said a quick prayer as his hand closed around the handle, hoping it was anyone but V.

It didn’t work.

“V,” Vik dropped to his knee, gathering V’s broken form in his arms, “what happened?”

“Help,” V gasped, blood running from her lips.

“Okay, hang on, I’ve got you,” Vik set her carefully in the chair, hitting the button on the side of his monitor that would send the alarm to Misty’s shop.

V coughed as he set her down, dark red blood dripping from her lips and over her neck.

“Vik?” Misty called from the top of the stairs.

“It’s V,” Vik shouted back, plugging the jack into her neck, “I need help.”

Misty was at his side in an instant, helping him remove her jacket and holsters as V’s eyes started to roll back in her head.

“You just hang on,” Vik’s hand found the airhypo without looking, slamming into her chest, “I’ll take care of you.”

V didn’t answer, her eyes falling closed, her breathing shallow.

“Vik?”

“Tongs,” Vik held out his hand, “let’s get her fixed up.”

***

Vik watched and waited.

The bullets had been easy to remove, all four of them. Vik could remove bullets in his sleep, hell, he practically has.

Still, this felt different.

V’s readings had fallen back into the normal range, as normal as could be expected given that she had a terrorist in her brain.

“How long?”

“Until?”

“She wakes up.”

“Oh,” Vik tooth a deep breath, “any second. She’s just burning off the medication I gave her, is all.”

“You two?”

“Yeah,” Vik didn’t explain further, he knew he didn’t need to, “just the starting, but it’s something.”

“I’m happy for you, Vik,” Misty wrapped her arms around his neck from behind him, and Vik brought a hand up to hold her hands against his, “she’ll be okay.”

“Hope so.”

V came to with a shout, Jackie’s name on her lips.

“Easy,” Misty soothed, “you’re in the clinic. You’re okay.”

“Jackie?” V mumbled, struggling to keep her eyes open as the meds fought to keep her asleep.

“Gone,” Misty whispered, “remember? Konpeki?”

V's eyes opened, meeting Misty’s and gradually becoming clearer as the medicine wore off, “right, sorry. I remember.”

“It’s okay,” Misty rubbed V’s shoulder, “I’m going to let you rest, Vik can take care of you.”

“Thanks, Misty.”

“No problem, I’ll call you tomorrow.”

V nodded, her eyes glancing around the room until she found him.

Misty excused herself quietly, and Vik rolled over to the chair next to V who with some pain rolled to face him.

"Sometimes," V whispered, the clinic silent except for the sounds of her breathing and soft tap as her tears hit the chair, "I have these dreams. Nightmares, maybe, I'm not sure. I'm almost gone, right on the edge of death. My heart is slowing, my vision is fading to black, and suddenly Jackie's there. I don't know, Vik, I think I'm getting worse."

"Why?"

"Lately, just before I wake up," V's breath catches, her eyes screw shut, "he's not there."

“Sweetheart,” Vik took her fingers in his, kissing over her bloodstained knuckles, “you’ve got to stop doing this to yourself. Jackie would have wanted you to _live_ , not spend every day trying to stay in his shadow.”

“I’m so tired, Vik.”

“Let’s take you home,” Vik suggested, “get you into bed.”

“I wanted you to take me to bed tonight,” V tried for a joke, her voice flat, “not like this.”

“Job gone bad?”

“Job gone bad,” V confirmed, “I mean, I got paid, I killed the guy.”

“But he bit back?”

“Yeah.”

“Here,” Vik unbuttoned his shirt, offering it to her, “I’m not walking you across Watson with a bra on.”

“I’m going to need some help.”

“I know,” Vik helped V sit and feed her arms into the sleeve, buttoning the fabric around her.

“You’ve got great arms,” V commented, still drowsy from the meds.

Vik glanced down as he felt V’s head rest against his chest, her eyes falling shut, “thanks, sweetheart. Come on, it’s time to get you home.”

***

“Bet this isn’t how you thought it would go the first time you undressed me.”

Vik chuckled as he fought with V’s button on her pants, “no, that’s true.”

“I’m sorry tonight didn’t work out. I was looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” Vik carefully pulled her pants down, ignoring the miles of beautiful legs he exposed, “another time.”

Vik tucked the blankets around her, leaving her in his shirt. He sat on the edge of her bed, brushing her hair from her face as her eyes started to fall closed.

“Vik?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you stay?”

Vik considered his options, there was really only one.

“Sure.”

***

Vik woke up with his arms full of V. At some point during the night they had shifted, and Vik had ended up as the _big spoon_. V was gently stroking the back of his hands, tracing circles around the various scars she found.

“How are you feeling?”

“Right now?” V’s voice was low, “very lucky.”

“Your stomach?”

“So long as I don’t move, fine. Think I bled on your shirt, though.”

“I don’t care about the shirt,” Vik kissed her cheek, “I care about you.”

V turned to face him, rolling onto her back, “I wish you didn’t, but I know you do.”

Vik gave in to the urge to kiss her, but kept it chaste, just a brief press of their lips together, “can I check the wounds?”

“Talk dirty to me, baby,” V pushed back the covers, “you know just what to say to get my clothes off.”

Vik chuckled, reaching for the buttons, “had you not gotten shot last night, I might have been taking your clothes off for other reasons.”

“I know, I know,” V pouted, “maybe tonight?”

“Let’s see how you’re healing,” Vik tried and failed to not notice the way that V’s bra and underwear matched, a beautiful black lace against her skin.

The wounds were healing well, the bullet holes nothing more than scabs with impressive rings of bruising around them.

“Can I touch you?”

“Always.”

Vik pressed gently around the bruising, watching for any winces across her face or any heat under his fingers. V watched him, her face calm as he worked his way across her stomach.

“What’s the prognosis, doc?”

“Take it easy today,” Vik forced himself to keep his eyes on her face rather than on her breasts as they threatened to spill from the top of her bra, “and you’ll be fine.”

“Hey, Vik?”

“Yeah?”

“Only old guys wear undershirts.”

Vik laughed, “you have my shirt, sweetheart. I didn’t much want to walk across Watson topless, either.”

“ _I’d_ like to see you topless.”

“Maybe later,” Vik kissed her forehead, “first, breakfast.”

***

“Did you have any plans today?”

“Not that I know of,” Vik took a sip of his coffee, “why?”

“Want to hang out?”

“What, here?”

V smiled, small and fleeting but it still brought warmth to Vik’s heart, “no, I thought we could go to Arasaka Tower, take Johnny for a walk.”

“Smartass,” Vik tried not to focus on the fact that V was still wearing _his_ shirt and pants had not yet been added, “sure, I wouldn’t mind spending time with you.”

“Think I can shower, or too soon?”

“You can shower,” Vik looked at his hands, V’s blood still under her nails, “I wouldn’t mind one, too. Some clean clothes maybe. Maybe I’ll delta for an hour, get cleaned up and come back?”

“Sure,” V agreed, “can you pick up lunch on your way back?”

“Yep, I’ll let Misty know the clinic is closed for the day.”

“Tell her I say sorry, if you see her,” V dropped her eyes to her hands in her lap, “I was sort of out of it when I came to. I couldn’t tell you how many times that I woke up to Jackie with the airhypo in my chest. I think it’s reflex.”

“None of us blame you for missing him, V.”

V didn’t answer, her eyes cast down as Vik spoke with her.

“Val,” Vik tried for her real name, “do you _actually_ think you’re responsible for Jackie’s death?”

V’s eyes met his then, clear and focused. Despite the warmth of her golden optics, the way that they looked like suns framed by dark lashes, her voice was cold and sent a chill through him.

“Yes.”

***

Vik knocked on V’s door, lunch in hand.

“Come in,” V called from inside, and Vik hit the button for the door.

Vik stopped short as V came into view. Her hair was damp, in a long braid down her back almost to her bum. She was wearing wide-legged linen pants, slung low across her hips showing the toned back accented by two small dimples just above her pants. V had no shirt on, just a strappy black sports bra which showcased her tattoo. A tattoo that he had never seen before, which, given their relationship, meant it was new.

Two long black angel wings, starting at her shoulders and ending under her pants hidden by the fabric.

Vik set the food on the desk and walked toward the window where V was watching the traffic as she smoked.

“More ink?”

“Do you like it?” V glanced over her shoulder as he approached.

It wasn’t until he was almost close enough to touch her that he noticed there was something different to the wings. Instead of being covered only in feathers, they were a combination of healthy feathers, damaged feathers, and bone.

Vik wasn’t sure what compelled him to reach for her, his fingers cautiously tracing the wings as they disappeared into her pants. Her skin was soft, and he was close enough to smell her shampoo. When the urge became overwhelming, he leaned in to kiss her shoulder.

“Beautiful. What inspired it?”

“Jackie had them designed to get done.”

“Oh. Well, for the record, I think they suit you better than they would have suited him.”

“I think for him they were a sign of redemption, getting his feathers back after leaving the Valentino’s.”

Vik gently stroked her arms, a soothing rub from shoulders to fingers, “for you?”

“How far I’ve fallen.”

***

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” V glanced up from her lunch, “I’ve been shot before.”

Vik chuckled, “four times at once?”

“Yep.”

 _That’s not reassuring_ , Vik studied V, “any other new tattoos I should know about?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t notice the wings last night,” V went back to eating, “no, nothing else.”

“I was busy trying to stop you from bleeding out, your hair was down,” Vik ignored the fact that V _still_ hadn’t put on a shirt.

“You avoid looking at me despite the fact you want to fuck me,” V added, “and have done since I stopped wearing colour.”

“Oh, I look at you plenty,” Vik rushed to reassure, “you just don’t notice.”

“What’s your favourite part?”

“Of?”

“Me.”

“Your smile,” Vik pulled his phone from his pocket, turning the screen on and turning it to face V so she could see her picture as his background.

“Your arms,” V shot back, turning on her screen and showing Vik the picture she had as a background.

It was Jackie and Vik together, one arm over each others’ shoulders, the other flexing for the picture. V had taken it during one of their nights out at the Coyote while they watched the champion fight. It was a good memory, one that Vik had lost to time.

“How long has that been your background?”

“Since I took it,” V set her phone down, “over a year ago.”

“Really?”

“Please, Vik, I’ve had the hots for you forever,” V rolled her eyes, “you’re just late to the party.”

***

V had hauled him over to the bed to watch a movie just after lunch, curling up on her side to keep her eyes on the screen as Vik wrapped around her. It had been years since he had someone to spoon with, he wasn’t about to stop now.

V watched the movie while Vik studied her tattoo up close, tracing the patterns of feather and bone across her skin.

“Why does that interest you so much?”

“I don’t know if it’s your tattoo,” Vik kept his voice low, “or how soft your skin is under my hands.”

Vik traced the length of the wings, from where they had erupted from her spine, the soft curl over her shoulder blade, the dip into her waist to where this disappeared under her pants. Each breath V took breathed life into the design, and whoever had tattooed them had done enough shading that the feathers looked real. The closer Vik looked, the less he would have been surprised if V had flexed the wings, stretched them out across the bed.

“Do you want to see where they end?”

“Yes,” Vik answered immediately before his brain even registered the question.

V didn’t turn to face him, just reached for the tie at the front of her pants and undid them, kicking them down her legs into a heap at her feet.

The wings, as it turned out, ended at the bottom of the swell of her ass.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Vik whispered, “beautiful.”

“Feel free to keep exploring.”

V didn’t turn to face him, and Vik wondered if she knew that he would lose his nerve if she did. He started at the top of her shoulder again, the sweep of the wings across her back. This time, he traced them to the last feather.

V let out a soft breath as she felt his hands travel over the length of her body, and something about the innocence of the sound had Vik hard in an instant. Vik could admit that he was selfish as he did it again, curious to see what other sounds he could pull from V with a gentle touch.

On the third pass, V caught his hand, bringing his fingers to her lips and kissing them each tenderly. She still wasn’t facing him, and Vik fought the urge to swear as she took his index finger just inside her mouth, her tongue brushing over the pad of his fingertip.

“V,” Vik whispered, “what are you doing?”

“Seducing you,” V turned then, rolling to face him with heated golden eyes, “is it working?”

V locked her eyes with his, repeating her affection across his fingers as he watched her tongue taste him.

“Yeah,” Vik's cock throbbed at the idea of that tongue elsewhere, “it’s working.”

Vik pulled his fingers away, leaning in to kiss her softly, probably with far more care and tenderness than she had expected. V wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as they kissed. Vik was content to stay like this, not move any further from their lips moving together. V had other ideas as she reached for his buttons and started to undo his shirt.

“In a rush?”

“Is waiting for over a year a rush?” V bit at the scar on his chin and Vik repressed the growl that built up in his chest.

“I’ll deal with my shirt; you take off that sports bra. They’re evil fuckin’ things.”

“You better take off more than just a shirt, Vik.”

Vik slipped from the bed, keeping his eyes from V as he undressed, well aware that he would get distracted if any more of her skin was exposed to him. Overshirt came first, dropped on the floor. Undershirt next, tossed over his shoulder toward V who giggled as it landed.

“Pants too, Vik.”

Vik glanced over his shoulder and found V already naked and waiting, kneeling in the middle of the bed with his shirt in her hands.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Vik muttered under his breath, undoing his belt and dropping the denim to the floor in a clatter of fabric, pens, and MaxDocs he always carried with him.

“Now that is a beautiful ass,” V’s hands were on his back just above his boxers, small warm touches as she teased the waistband, “let’s keep going, shall we?”

Vik took a minute to wonder how the confident V he had always know suddenly reappeared, but as his boxers dropped to his feet and she turned him to face her his focus changed.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Vik took a gasping breath as she started to stroke him, bright golden eyes looking up at him as she kneeled beside him. She was a vision, an angel, _his_ angel.

“We’re getting there,” V admired him, her eyes darting from his face to his tattoos, across his stomach and down to his cock that she was expertly stroking, “I hope.”

“You’re sure you want this?”

V reached between her legs with her other hand, circling her clit just for a moment before she reached lower. When she brought her hand away he could see her slick across her fingers. As she brought her hand to coat the head of his cock with them, he wondered if this was some sort of elaborate dream.

Vik let her play, watching each twist of her wrist as she watched his face for a reaction. V was confident here, just like she was with a gun in her hand. Each movement calculated, each reaction she pulled studied. He was her target, and she planned to take him down with the same efficiency she had taken down the man in the ally.

Vik stopped her, a gentle grip on her wrist, her eyes shot up to his quizzically.

“Vik?”

“On your back, middle of the bed.”

“ _Oh_ ,” V smiled, real and _warm_ , “look at Mr. Confident.”

“Not confident, never confident with you. Something about you always disarms me,” Vik eased her back against the mattress, “that being said, I’m not going to be the old guy that cums in ten seconds, so let me take the lead.”

V giggled as Vik leaned down to kiss her, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a way that spoke to more familiarity than they shared given their new relationship. Maybe being friends for years did that, it changed the footing, made things easier.

Vik kissed over every scar that he found, every freckle, he memorized the taste of her skin and the way she sighed as he moved down her body.

She spread her legs willingly for him, stroking his hair as he kissed across her hips before he moved lower to taste her for the first time.

Vik wasn’t sure who moaned louder at the first touch of his tongue over her clit, but the way V locked her ankles over his back to keep him in place he assumed was a good sign.

It had been years since he had a beautiful woman spread and eager for him, Vik wasn’t sure if the adrenaline rush that came from it would ever be lost on him.

V was more responsive than he could have imagined, soft sighs, giggles, moans, all falling from her lips freely as he mapped her with his tongue.

“God you’re good at that,” V’s laugh was breathless, “ _fuck,_ Vik.”

“We’re getting there,” Vik shot back, using her words against her, “first…”

V keened as he pressed a finger inside of her, feeling for the spot across her front wall that had V swearing and bucking up against his mouth.

Vik didn’t rush, slowly easing V toward the edge with purposeful touch. It was going to take as long as it needed to, and who was he to refuse any time he was offered at the gates of heaven.

V gasped his name as she came, her back arching under his touch, her hand in his hair. Vik was certain that there was no art in the world more perfect, no poem more moving, no song more captivating, than V at the peak of her pleasure.

“Enough,” V pushed his head away, “come here.”

Vik found his undershirt on the bed, using it to wipe his face as he crawled over her, smiling as her flushed and content face grinned back at him.

“Why am I not surprised you’re a secret stud?”

Vik laughed, “absolutely not.”

“I’ve got some pretty solid evidence to say you are,” V reached between them, stroking him slowly, “satisfied I won’t be disappointed? Can we _finally_ fuck?”

“Finally?” Vik let her position him before he pushed forward in a slow roll of his hips, “you say like that you weren’t just moaning my name.”

V’s eyes widened as he bottomed out, looking up at him with wonder, “ _fuck_.”

“Okay?”

“Perfect.”

“Good,” Vik kissed her gently, “let’s see if I can’t get more of those moans, hm?”

***

V was _amazing_.

That wasn’t a surprise to Vik, not really, but as she pushed him onto his back and rode him like it was her path to redemption, all he could do was grip her thighs and try to hold on.

“Come on, Vik,” V teased him with a grin, “what are you waiting for?”

“For you,” Vik bit the inside of his cheek, the metallic taste of blood across his tongue as he fought every urge to give in to the woman above him.

“I got mine,” V leaned forward, her breasts against his chest, “come on, Viky.”

 _Her voice is sin_.

Vik reached for her, one hand across her shoulders, the other on her hip as he held her still.

“Vik?”

She squealed as he adjusted his feet on the bed, using the leverage to fuck her harder than he had dared to before, her nails digging into her shoulders as he moved.

“Together,” Vik both asked and begged, “ _together_.”

Vik knew she was going to cum seconds before she did, the silken heat around his cock tightening to a nearly impossible grasp around him. As soon as the moan fell from her lips, he let himself follow her.

Vik held her as they came down together, stroking over her wings as he struggled to catch his breath.

“Fuck,” Vik kissed her cheek, “feeling okay?”

“Are you kidding?” V pulled back to look at him, tears down her face, “that’s the first time I’ve felt alive in _weeks_.”

“Angel,” Vik cupped her face, “was the sex that bad?”

V laughed, slapping his chest, “asshole.”

“You cry during sex and a guy is going to ask,” Vik caught her wrists, kissing her palms, “seriously, you’re okay?”

“Yes, for the first time in a _long time_ ,” V kissed him sweetly, “I’m okay.”


End file.
